In My Rosary
The Shades Of Cats

The In My Rosary, unknown to most and humbly active since the mid-nineties, present us with a sophisticated dark singer-songwriter balance between wave and apocalyptic folk. With this "The Shades of Cats" from 2002, which I consider to be the album of maturity for the German band, their more apocalyptic influences are significantly softened with an openness to pop and romanticized atmospheres, at times akin to bands like The Cure or Mission.

Ralf Jesek, the mastermind of the project (supported by Dirk Lakomy in the writing of the lyrics), evidently decides to shake off the not-too-kind reputation of being a disciple of Douglas P. In a way, he changes skin, broadening the sonic spectrum of his creation on one hand and softening the sound on the other, thus setting up an existential sketch, a calm and intimate journey, where the influences are clear but are deftly drawn back to the poetic and melancholic world of In My Rosary. A world that today is broader and at the same time better defined than in the past, thanks to the growth and artistic maturity of its creator.

"The Shades of Cats" consists of a good 16 songs, ranging across the most diverse sounds of the dark universe: we will encounter folk ballads, gothic atmospheres, pulsating electronics, and essays of authentic decadent rock. Jesek, with limited technical abilities but always inspired, manages decently with all instruments: elementary guitar textures, sometimes electric, more often acoustic, are supported by airy keyboards and an effective electronic infrastructure. The rest is completed by Jesek’s beautiful tenor voice, a cross between Douglas P. and Johan Edlund of Tiamat.

After the necessary atmospheric introduction (the intro "When Grasshoppers Dream..."), the opener "To End" surprises us with a calm layer of drum-machine and rough electric suggestions. Jesek's plaintive and for the occasion "megaphoned" singing stands out enchantingly against the dirty arpeggio, which in the final crescendo transforms into a childlike, typically Smith-style solo. It is clear that we are entering into a dimension permeated by melancholic visions and poignant poetry. The variety continues, with a continuous alternation of ethereal moments ("My Guardian Angel"), pressing electro-rock tracks ("All We Have", between EBM and gothic-metal), elegant dark-pop ("No Place to Stay", perhaps the most successful episode, beautiful in its interplay of arpeggios and keyboard textures) and eighties-style electronic tunes ("Confused by the Time", which seems to come directly from "Nada!" by Death in June).

Then there are the more typically folk pieces, those that clearly refer to Death in June, and I'm talking about tracks like "Your Shimmering Hair", "A Naked Cloud", "Goodbye", "Towards Wonderland", "Poor Little Love Song" (Jesek’s peak in Douglasian style), "Into Moonlight": visionary jewels embodying the epicness, majesty, and heart-wrenching decadence of apocalyptic folk in its most dreamy form. To close, we have the compelling "Satin Sheets", an upbeat electro-gothic track that reminds us that our Jesek actually grew up on bread, krautrock, and grimy Berlin gothic-clubs.

The Teutonic ghost indeed hovers throughout the platter's duration, and in some aspects, it might be (if we really want to find it) the album's only weak point: slightly plasticky sounds, overly flashy passages, and sometimes rough arrangements indeed dampen the pathos, the poetry, and the elegance of an album essentially focused on intimate atmospheres. No big deal: those who do not disdain eighties sounds in general will not be disappointed.

An ultimately suitable listen for those who love dark music in all its multiple shades and believe that artistic value does not reside in the top charts. A jewel to rediscover, listen to and listen to again, anywhere and with anyone.